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Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 11, "The Magnificent Archibalds"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:40:43 -0800

On this week's Gossip Girl there aren't things like murders or drug overdoses, which I was ~~hoping for~~ kind of expecting given the show's history. In fact, it seems like everyone puts aside their differences for one day in the spirit of Thanksgiving despite the fact that Gossip Girl hinted there would be "lying, manipulation, and betrayal" on the Upper East Side.

The entire cast is present in this episode, too, and it seems like all loose ends from the past couple of episodes have been tied up, while the seeds for future intrigue are definitely sown. Ready to talk about it? Just

TV Tonight: Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:30:35 -0800

Nobody does Thanksgiving quite like Gossip Girl. Last year's touching Thanksgiving episode included lots of flashbacks to a drunken Bad Serena and a really intriguing look at Blair and her various issues with eating and control. It'll be interesting to see where everyone ends up one year later when we check in with our Upper East Siders for a holiday feast tonight.

It doesn't look like it will be an easy holiday — again! — for Blair, as Cyrus and Eleanor want to have a new kind of Thanksgiving, minus most of the Waldorf family traditions. Meanwhile, things are still a little tense between Serena and Aaron, who ends up learning a bit about Serena's wild past. And, unsurprisingly for a Thanksgiving episode, there's lots of family drama, including Lily getting in the middle of things between Rufus and Jenny and Nate once again dealing with his daddy issues. And Bart has a secret! What will it be? To check out a couple of preview clips, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 10, "Bonfire of the Vanity"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:30:01 -0800

On this week's Gossip Girl, love is in the air for Serena, who is aglow with feelings for Aaron the artist. Also glowing? Eleanor Waldorf! Yes, Blair's mother has become totally smitten with Cyrus, a man Blair imagines to be as charming as Cary Grant ("Maybe a dashing stepdad is just what I need"). And because Blair is turning 18, she's determined to remain as poised as as possible, a la Grace Kelly, and welcome Cyrus with open arms.

Then there are the Humphrey kids, who have, to Rufus's horror, cynically traded their souls away in return for fame and fortune. Jenny and Agnes are in a "business partnership" together and looking for some representation, and Dan is back to writing about "Charlie Trout," to his mentor's great pleasure. Ready to chat? Just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode Nine, "There Might Be Blood"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:52:37 -0800

On this week's Gossip Girl, Little J breaks into the bigtime, staging a guerrilla fashion show (Dan: "I don't even know what that means!") to drum up some interest in her renegade fashion line. That, naturally, means the black eyeliner is out in full force, along with the influence of Agnes, who — if nothing else — certainly knows how to get press.

Meanwhile, Blair tries to babysit and blackmail her way into Yale, Dan feels inadequate, and some stuff happens with Serena and the new guy, a relationship I'm just really not feeling. Ready to talk about it? Just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode Eight, "Pret-a-Poor-J"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:30:11 -0700

On this week's Gossip Girl, Jenny gets edgy, you guys! In other words, she piles on the eyeliner and makes some questionable friends. It's all part of Little J coming into her own and finding her way in the cutthroat fashion biz. This time around, she does need someone to save her from herself, though — hmm, is it her dad? Her brother?

The rest of the episode belongs to Blair, who spends the evening longing for Chuck and soliciting love advice from a most unexpected person. Oh, and Serena hovers around Dan a lot, hoping to give the friendship thing the old college try, but it turns out she has another motivation as well. The drama! Ready to discuss? Just

TV Tonight: Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:30:50 -0700

With Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke already making guest appearances on Chuck, it should come as no surprise that Josh Schwartz likes to keep his OC alumni busy with jobs on his shows. The latest: Willa Holland, The OC's (second) Kaitlin Cooper, who will appear on Gossip Girl tonight.

Holland stars in the first of three episodes tonight as Agnes, a young model who becomes a friend of Jenny's and will have a big influence on Little J's career aspirations. According to Holland, "Agnes sees Jenny as somebody who’s not working for herself; she’s working for everybody else. She has a lot of talent and potential, so Agnes pushes her to get out on her own." She also may turn out to be a bit of a flake — but a well-intentioned one.

This episode also puts Taylor Momsen's dramatic haircut in full effect, along with what appears to be an entire drugstore worth of eyeliner. In other news, Serena's going to click with a new guy (an artist named Aaron Rose, played by John Patrick Amedori), and Blair and Chuck continue their little games. To watch a preview, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode Seven, "Chuck In Real Life"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:33:04 -0700

Does it get much better than a Gossip Girl episode mostly centered around Chuck? I think not. The guy is entertaining, especially when he's sparring with Blair. This week, the two of them play a little seduce-and-destroy game that reminded me of Cruel Intentions, only to find that messing with other innocent, well intentioned people only seems to exacerbate their own insecurities.

Yes, in the world of GG, it's not easy being a filthy rich kid. In addition to the Chuck and Blair angst, this episode also reveals the family stress Serena and Eric have endured over the years and poor Nate's sad spiral downward as his family collapses into financial ruin. Ready to chat about it? Just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode Six, "New Haven Can Wait"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:39:27 -0700

On this week's Gossip Girl, the whole gang goes on a field trip to Yale to try to impress the dean and secure admissions. Because suddenly, Yale is the school everyone (save for Jenny and Vanessa) dreams of attending. Dan and Nate conveniently gave up on their previously chosen schools for various reasons, and after a tongue-lashing from Blair about how Brown is "an enclave of trustifarians" and dreadlocked hippies, Serena decides Yale is the place for her, too.

And what criteria is Chuck using to determine what institution of higher learning will help him meet his life goals? Secret societies, of course. All in all, a pretty fun episode, wouldn't you say? Let's chat about it — just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode Five, "The Serena Also Rises"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:31:29 -0700

While there was a whole lot of girl-on-girl drama in this week's episode of Gossip Girl, I am mostly concerned with Dan's dive into the dark side. That's right: he's spending time with Chuck. Those two are great together and I actually like earnest, sorta nerdy, talks-too-much Dan more than sappy in-love-with-Serena Dan. And we're learning so much about Chuck's psyche! He puts up such a tough exterior, doesn't he? His daddy issues run pretty deep, and he really wants someone to be his friend (Nate's been falling down on the job). Basically, Chuck needs a hug.

I'm glad the Duke and Duchess and that icky Nate/Duchess drama is behind us, and in its place we now have a new character — the hilariously named socialite Poppy Lipton. Are you ready to chat about it all? Just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode Four, "The Ex-Files"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:30:07 -0700

Amazing how much more entertaining things get when love isn't in the air on Gossip Girl, don't you think? I knew things would get wickedly funnier/better without all that shmoopy Dan and Serena love-fest stuff — and of course it's always best when Chuck and Blair are flirting via scheming instead of actually trying to be together like normal people. All of these nonlovey elements came together to make a pretty dramatic return to school for these Upper East Siders.

We not only went back to school with the gang, but we witnessed the return of the so-called "Bad Serena" we've only heard delicious rumors (and seen scandalous flashbacks) about. This version of our girl appears to be less overtly mean girl than Blair but far more icy and scary. Dan asking a girl out ("Dan with boobs" as Blair describes her) does not help matters. Anyway, there's so much to talk about, so let's get started.

Yay, Lily's back! And unhappy in her soulless marriage (of course). And she calls Chuck "Charles."
The Bass-van der Woodsen family breakfasts might become my favorite scenes on the show. I love how Lily sorta listens as Serena and Chuck trade insults but doesn't interject or anything. For example, I'm pretty sure Serena calls Chuck a "unit" (ah, or was it "a eunuch"?) at breakfast this time around.

More to discuss, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 3, "The Dark Night"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:31:26 -0700

OK, why is Gossip Girl so hilarious right now? I can't take any of it seriously, but I'm really loving how ridiculous this season is. I think I had at least three "spit out my water in laughter" moments on Monday — you?

While I, a grown adult woman, am having fun watching, GG's not doing much to quiet those "totally inappropriate for teenagers" complaints and in fact poured about a gallon of fuel on that fire last night. Nearly every plot point pivoted around sex: who's having it, who's not, who wants to have it but can't, who's getting paid to have it, who only has it to avoid talking about "issues," etc.

This episode starts out hot (literally), then gets dark (also literally, see Chuck lurking by candlelight above), at which point things really heat up (figuratively). Here are some of my thoughts from last night:

Does anyone else find the constant references to Dan and Serena's "issues" kind of funny? It totally reminds me of high school and the need to psychoanalyze relationships with vague, adult-ish terms.
How'd you like those three little Dan/Serena stalker girls in the park? I thought they were hilarious and slightly creepy but ultimately a welcome respite from Dan and Serena's PDA/"issues"-speak.

To see the rest of my thoughts on Chuck, Blair, the Lord, and Nate the gigolo,

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 2, "Never Been Marcused"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 10:43:15 -0700

You guys, Gossip Girl is so freaking fun right now. This season is starting off with a bang, don't you think? Last night everyone was back, including Rufus from his band tour, Jenny from playing in the Hamptons with Eric, and Vanessa who has been watching the gallery and decorating it and turning it into a cafe or something.

Also! Dan and Serena are seriously back together (and by "back together" I mean "getting it on") even though they feel like they should think about it a little since they really haven't explored the reasons they broke up. "Thinking" is all in vain, though, because they are both attractive, hot-blooded young teens who are apparently extremely in need of some sexual healing.

Besides Dan and Serena's PDA, the episode truly belonged to Blair, who's decided she's in love with "the Lord" (haha) and hatches a scheme to impress his step-mother the Duchess in order to hang on to him. Which of course means that Chuck had to hatch a scheme of his own to get rid of him. So much to chat about, so let's get started — just

30 Rock Gets Gossipy With Blake Lively, Leighton Meester

BuzzSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:30:57 -0700

OK, yes, I know I was just talking about Gossip Girl. But forgive me for going back to the well so soon, because I can't let this day go by without telling you about the most awesome stunt casting/crossover idea I think I've ever heard: Blake Lively and Leighton Meester will guest-star on 30 Rock, playing high school classmates of Liz Lemon's in an episode where we find out Liz was actually a mean girl in high school.

No word on whether Blake and Leighton's characters will also be mean girls — or whether they'll be victims of Liz's nastiness. Either way, this just proves that 1) 30 Rock is awesome, and 2) these Gossip Girls (or their agents) are pretty savvy themselves.

But oh, the awesomeness doesn't end there. Since the episode revolves around Liz's high school reunion, we'll see adult versions of those two characters, too — and the producers are reportedly talking with Robyn Lively (yes, Blake's sister, of Teen Witch fame) about playing one of them. See? So fantastic!

So, here's a question: What actress should play the younger, meaner Liz Lemon?

Photos courtesy of The CW and NBC

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 1, "Summer, Kind of Wonderful"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Welcome back, Gossip Girl fans! If you weren't still basking in your Labor Day vacation last night, then you too watched the awesome and mostly hilarious premiere episode of season two like I did. True to form, the writers of Gossip Girl packed in a whole lot of plot, and the back-and-forths were at times mind-boggling. After covering the slow, deliberate Mad Men line delivery, it was a jolt to the system to hear these kids talk a mile a minute.

I would do a bit of season one recapping here, but the first three minutes of last night's episode were pretty darn comprehensive, so let's skip it and get to the good stuff. Blair's new man! Nate's Summer fling with a married lady! Dan's writer's block (try not to laugh) and new nickname courtesy of Gossip Girl herself! Jenny's internship and inexplicably awful Devil Wears Prada boss! Chuck's Chuckness! Ready, set,

Gossip Girl: Watch How Season Two Begins!

BuzzSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:34:24 -0700

Can't wait another six days to find out what happened to our Gossip Girl crew over the Summer? You can get some pretty big hints right now.

Below the jump, I have the first five minutes of the season premiere. To be fair, it's about three and a half minutes of show, with a substantial recap of season one tacked onto the front (and a preview for Privileged at the end. Sneaky, CW, sneaky). But hey, that's three and a half more minutes than we've seen so far.

There's some heavy petting, some romantic revelations, and Chuck Bass in all his glory, so if you want to see how it all begins, just

Some Steamy New Gossip (Girl) For Your Friday

BuzzSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:30:15 -0700

Gossip Girl has already given us a lot to talk about from its season premiere trip to the Hamptons — and we're just getting started! There's a new set of clips around — not just promos but real, full scenes this time — and they're the juiciest yet.

Needless to say, they're way spoilery. Want to see what happens with Blair and Chuck (and Blair's new potential beau)? Oh, that's here. There's a little Serena, too, with some hint at what may or may not have happened between her and Nate. And speaking of Nate, he goes tumbling out a window in his boxers. So there's that. No Dan or Jenny just yet, but I suppose we'll see enough of them once the season premieres Sept. 1.

Can you even stand the anticipation? To watch, just

Gossip Girl Went to the Hamptons, and All I Got Were Photos

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 05:30:16 -0700

Judging from the massive number of photos the CW has released in the past couple of days, I can say with certainty that the following things happened when Gossip Girl went to the Hamptons for its season two premiere:

Croquet was played.
Red wine was served.
Red wine was spilled, specifically on Dan.
Dan got all writer-ly by the light of a fire.
He also almost missed a bus.
Blair rode bikes with a potential paramour.
They also had heated conversations.
As did Nate and Serena, as well as Serena and Dan.
Lots of people wore white.

As for what this truly means for our favorite Upper East Siders — who's dating whom, who's the queen bee when we return to NYC, etc. — well, I've got nothing. But speculate with me, won't you, by taking a look at the pretty pictures? "Summer, Kind of Wonderful" airs Sept. 1, but you can get a glimpse right now if you

First Look: Gossip Girl's Summery Start to Season Two

BuzzSugar — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:30:15 -0700

Those marketing gurus over at the CW are at it again: We now have some cute teasers for the upcoming season of Gossip Girl from the folks who brought you OMFG. Gossip Girl returns September 1, and these clips reveal just how juicy S and B's summer in the Hamptons has been (hot lifeguards included).

Can you wait for the new season to start?! I bet as soon as you hit "play" on this video, the mere sight of Chuck in a fedora sipping a drink on the beach will give you the case of the LOLs (as Gossip Girl herself might put it). To check it out,

Five Questions for Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:30:42 -0700

The onset of Summer also means the return of my Five Questions series, in which I take a look back at the most recent seasons of some favorite TV shows and pose some hypothetical questions about their future. Today's questions are for Gossip Girl, which will start its second season in the Fall.

Will the viewers ever come? Much has been made about Gossip Girl being a high-buzz, low-ratings series, which gets its stars on magazine covers but can't break 3 million viewers per week. Part of that could be due to the different ways the show's young demographic watches TV — some of which can't be tracked by any existing methods (and which are certainly not counted by advertisers). But part of it could just be that not that many people are watching. I keep thinking the buzz will have to pay off in ratings eventually; will this be the year?
Dan and Serena: Will they? Won't they? Do we care? Dan and Serena's relationship is the centerpiece of all the show's many romantic liaisons, but they've already been brought together and ripped apart so many times that I'm starting to get whiplash. It's turning a little into Derek and Meredith 2.0 — when they're together, they're kind of boring, but when they're apart, it just seems like they're in placeholder relationships that don't mean anything since we know they'll just be back together again anyway.

Three more questions, so

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 18, "Much 'I Do' About Nothing"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:28:01 -0700

I'm a little sad to report that I'm feeling underwhelmed by last night's season finale of Gossip Girl. I've been trying to get my head around what exactly seemed "off" last night because we were definitely treated to some great one-liners, a lot of good Chuck moments, and we even witnessed Dan scheming alongside Blair. On the surface, last night was everything we could have asked for from Gossip Girl, so why did it fall flat?

I think they actually gave us too much, too fast and didn't leave us with much of a finale cliffhanger. Regardless of how anti-climactic many of the scenes felt, there was still a lot that went down and so we must discuss. You can take Geek's quiz here, and for the rest of my thoughts,

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 17, "Woman on the Verge"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 12:30:47 -0700

After last week's stunning revelation that Serena killed someone, I had a feeling last night's Gossip Girl was going to be heavy on the drama and light on the one-liners. The best part about last night? The four friends — Nate, Chuck, Blair, and Serena — together facing all the challenges that come with an Upper East Side address and a lot of money. Also, I needed a Jenny break after her social rise and dramatic falls. Hopefully she'll return refreshed and with a little perspective.

A lot went down last night, in real time and in flashbacks to that night when Nate and Serena slept together and Serena ran off to boarding school without saying goodbye to Blair. You can take Geek's quiz here, and then read on:

I guessed Georgina was mostly driven by craziness, and the opening scene proved me right. That montage of evil G obsessively calling Serena gave me the willies.
Apparently right after Serena told Blair she killed someone, Blair excused herself to grab some Valium to help calm her friend (naturally), and when she returned Serena had left to party again. It's a pattern that's starting to annoy me: Serena spills major secret, goes on crazy bender that involves no less than three dudes at a bar.

To see more musings, including on how Lonelyboy's handling all this,

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 16, "All About My Brother"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 11:28:45 -0700

Whoa. Gossip Girl is officially getting good — partly due to Georgina, who I'm starting to believe has little motive for torturing Serena and is more driven by mental instability and pure evil. We know, based on last week's episode, that whatever secret Serena is carrying will bring Georgie down too. So why would Georgina mess with her own future? And why push Serena that far? She must expect that Serena's too wimpy to call her bluff. But it wasn't just that mystery that fueled the episode — there were secret bombs going off all over the place. Here are the rest of my thoughts:

The struggle for Queen Bee between Blair and Little J taking over the Gossip Girl blog was kind of blowing my mind. The rumors were flying every which way; then it involved Asher; then there was a nod to the real-life rumors that Eric was the anonymous GG. Even Dan was sending in tips!
Blair was on fire last night! I loved seeing the many faces of B jammed into one episode: wicked, ruthless, and protective of her friends. I'm so glad she finally went in for the kill. Jenny took a long, hard fall, but it was about time she got back to her Humphrey roots.

To see what I had to say about Eric's big moment and that horrid boyfriend of Jenny's,

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 15, "Desperately Seeking Serena"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:36:59 -0700

Last night's episode of Gossip Girl hit pause on the Blair vs. Little J storyline and made way for Georgina Sparks. Woohoo! She started out harmless enough (even a little needy), and it seemed like Serena was just making bad choices that had little to do with the arrival of her old friend. However, considering the packages full of porn and handcuffs Georgina sent last week — and the fact that she looks like Michelle Trachtenberg, whose appearance in anything is practically a synonym for "seriously b*tchy" — I was fairly certain things were going to get diabolical fast.

Don't forget to take Geek's tech quiz and then take a look at some of my thoughts on all that went down last night:

First off: Jenny's tantrums are getting on my last nerve. Plus, all that talk of needing a king and not a jester is just tacky. And not to be too negative about Little J, but the dog walker, Asher Hornsby, was kind of dopey, no? Or did anyone think he was cute?
I love scheming Blair! She's so resourceful (and evil) when she needs to be, and her target last night was over-achieving Nelly Yuki, who, like Blair, wants to go to Yale. According to Blair-logic, only one kid from Constance Billard can get into Yale, so naturally she had to sabotage Nelly's SAT performance.

For more on how the gang survived their SATs and my thoughts on the something-something that's a-brewin' between Nate and Vanessa,

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 14, "The Blair B*tch Project"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:49:20 -0700

Gossip Girl is back! And while the episode title has Blair's name in it, the night belonged to Jenny. Oh, young, desperate-to-fit-in Jenny. While — like Rufus — I kind of wanted to shut her in her room and ground her for life, she is a fighter and may shape up to be a worthy Blair nemesis after all. This episode also revealed just how Pollyanna-esque Serena can be — she was all rainbows and unicorns (except around Chuck). Perhaps that's what a little Dan in your life will do.

Don't forget to check out Geek's tech quiz, and Bella's beauty quiz and here are my thoughts on what went down with the kids back from Spring break:

Uh . . . that Breakfast at Tiffany's dream sequence thing was a cute idea in theory, but mostly it was just kind of nonsensical — and it didn't really tell us anything new about Blair.
And Chuck kicks off being Serena's brother by smoking pot in her bathroom, then ups his trademark ick-factor by responding to Serena's plea not to call her "sister" because they don't share DNA and never will with, "Then I suggest you get new hand towels." Ew!
We learned right away it ain't cheap being "Queen Bee" — Jenny owed one of her new friends $120 for brunch! If my memory serves me right, that is a lot of babysitting. But there are perks to Jenny's new crew as well, including her trip to Aspen on a private jet.

For more awesomely disgusting zingers from Chuck and the rest of my thoughts on the return of GG,

TV Tonight: Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 05:30:16 -0700

Tonight, there's a new Queen B in town — and her name starts with J. Gossip Girl returns from its strike-induced break with the first of five new episodes, which find a disgraced Blair ceding control of her Upper East Side minions to the rising star from Brooklyn, Jenny Humphrey.

We've already heard quite a lot about what's to come over the next few weeks: More Bad Serena, the arrival of Michelle Trachtenberg as Georgina Sparks, a potential wedding, and the possible outing of one of our characters. Tonight's episode, "The Blair B*tch Project," sees Blair tentatively returning to school after her public, pregnancy scare-related scandal — but at least she has Serena by her side. Serena has issues of her own to deal with, though, not least of which is adjusting to living with her new future stepbrother, Chuck Bass.

The CW has been trying to drum up interest in these episodes, what with a salacious ad campaign and the end of free online streaming. Will it work? I guess we'll find out tonight. You can check out a couple of preview clips for the episode if you

First Look: Gossip Girl's Sexy Return

BuzzSugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:31:59 -0700

Gossip Girl returns April 21, and from the looks of things, the CW wants to remind you of a couple of things:

The show stars some gorgeous young things.
They have sex with each other.
This is scandalous!

The jaded part of me wants to roll my eyes and say, well, of course they're going the nudity-and-sex route to promote a show that, while buzzed about, still doesn't get great ratings. But the GG fan in me is saying "OMFG!" right along with everyone else. We've already been promised more Bad Serena, but it looks like we'll be seeing more of everyone else's naughty side, too.

What do you guys think? Are the ads too much? Or do they just get you even more excited for the 21st? To check out two equally sexy video promos, just

PaleyFest: More of the Gossip Girl Gossip

BuzzSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:31:58 -0700

Earlier today, I shared with you a few of the highlights from the Gossip Girl panel at PaleyFest. Well, that's not all the cast and creators had to say. Read on for some more funny bits and stories from how this group of ridiculously attractive people came together for the show:

With apologies to FabSugar, my fashion awards for the panel: Snazziest Blazer Award to Ed Westwick, Tallest Heels Award to Taylor Momsen, Best Emo Hair award to Chace Crawford, and Best "Oh, I Just Threw This On" Award to the casual-chic Lively.
Speaking of styling, Entertainment Weekly's Tim Stack, who moderated the panel, really could not stop complimenting Lively's hair, at one point calling it "the best head of hair in Hollywood." I know Molly would agree.
Speaking of Lively, executive producer Josh Schwartz said that when they started casting the series, they found a lot of fan sites for the books that mentioned her as a choice for Serena if the series were ever made into a movie or show, which convinced them to go meet her.
Penn Badgley, meanwhile, had done three other WB series before Gossip Girl and wasn't keen on doing another, but he'd worked with executive producer Stephanie Savage on The Mountain (which got scattered cheers from the crowd; Savage attributed the clapping to her mom and sister) and decided to give it a shot.
On what should happen with Rufus and Lily: "It's 2008," said Matthew Settle. "I think they should have a double date with the kids!" He then let loose with an extended ode to Rutherford: "I look at you and I feel warm . . . my wife can't see this, right?"

Lots more — including what Gossip Girl series author Cecily von Ziegesar first thought when she heard the folks from The OC were adapting her work — plus some video from the panel if you

PaleyFest: The Goods on Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:30:11 -0700

Hey, Upper East Siders. BuzzSugar here, with all the dish from Saturday night's Gossip Girl panel at the Paley Festival in Los Angeles. The sold-out crowd got some hints about what's coming up when the show returns with five new episodes starting April 21 and some of the scoop straight from the set — including the truth about Blake Lively's Guitar Hero skills, the plot lines that Gossip Girl series creator Cecily von Ziegesar would like to see included in the show, and how the fictional Gossip Girl blogger got her voice.

The evening started with a clip of the "Angela + Jordan = total sex in his car!" scene from My So-Called Life, which was greeted with appreciative cheers from the crowd — which was split pretty evenly between the MSCL demographic and the current teenage set. If not for the strike, we would have then gotten to see a new episode of Gossip Girl, but because none had been completed, we got a package of highlights from the season instead — including a mini gag reel of screw-ups from the set. (You know how every show seems to have that one cast member who can't help but drop an f-bomb every time he flubs a line? That's Penn Badgley.) The whole cast slipped into the auditorium to watch after the lights went down, so there was a lot of whispering and clapping going on in a row just to my left.

After clips, the cast and creative team took the stage. All of the main cast attended, along with creators Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, author von Ziegesar, and two of the show's other producers; the only obvious missing stars were Connor Paolo (Eric van der Woodsen) and Nicole Fiscella and Nan Zhang, who play Blair's dress-alike sidekicks Isabel and Kati. (Zhang apparently headed back to college during the strike, a fact Josh Schwartz said he only learned when they got back on set). Lively seemed to get the most applause, but there were plenty of squeals for Ed Westwick and Badgley, too.

Of course, the juiciest part of the evening was getting hints about what we'll see come April, so for the scoop (and update: here's part two!), just

Buzz News Roundup, 2/25

BuzzSugar — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:29:49 -0800

Last night's Oscars look like they'll have record-low viewing numbers based on the preliminary ratings, Reuters reports. Stay tuned for the final numbers later today.
Though its showrunners were recently fired, Women's Murder Club will still produce three more episodes this season, writes the Hollywood Reporter.
Zap2It reports that the Tina Fey-hosted Saturday Night Live — the first post-strike episode — produced strong ratings over the weekend.
According to ComingSoon, production on Steven Spielberg's next project The Trial of the Chicago 7 will be delayed "for the foreseeable future."
Writer Stephen Marlowe, best known for his pulp crime novels, has died at age 79, the Associated Press reports.
Billboard reports that Donna Summer will break her 17-year hiatus with the May 20th release of her studio album, Crayons.
The typically comedic actress Teri Polo will star in indie thriller The Beacon, writes Hollywood Reporter
Leighton Meester, aka Blair on Gossip Girl, has recorded her first album, CTV reports.

Source

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 13, "The Thin Line Between Chuck and Nate"

Molly — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:30:14 -0800

Last night, while we said goodbye to Gossip Girl for awhile, we welcomed back Jenny (with a scream) and evil Chuck. We also got a good solid storyline for the friendship between Blair and Serena, something that has been fairly lacking thus far. All in all, it served well as a makeshift finale and had its share of drama. Now, lets just keep our fingers crossed that it comes back sooner rather than later. Here are my thoughts:

Before we begin, check out Fab's fashion quiz, Bella's beauty quiz and Geek's tech quiz on last night's episode.
While we may never know who Gossip Girl is, she's got eyes and spies everywhere, and the episode kicked off when Serena's private moment buying a pregnancy test ends up on the wily internet. Cue rumor mill.
Little Jenny broke our eardrums as she reemerged on the show. Maybe Taylor Momsen's been off at Paranoid Park, but apparently Jenny's been holding her place on the social ladder with her lunch on the steps with Blair and crew. You know, a few steps down, of course. But I'm happy to say that her sassiness was mostly good this episode rather than horrible. So maybe there is hope yet that Jenny will be catty but awesome.

To see the rest of my thoughts, and reflect on our saying goodbye to the gossip kids for a while, just

TV Tonight: Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:30:11 -0800

It seems like only yesterday we were being ushered into the swanky, salacious world of Gossip Girl. And yet, here we are in January, with only one little episode left before the show takes an unplanned, writers' strike-enforced hiatus. Oh, cruel world!

Tonight's episode wraps up the two-part arc that started last week — though, as Molly pointed out, there's not a whole lot besides the Blair/Chuck/Nate storyline left up in the air from part one. But that plot might just get a little messier, when Serena's spotted purchasing a pregnancy test by one of Gossip Girl's ubiquitous spies. Hey, between Knocked Up and Juno, 'tis the season of unplanned pregnancy . . . It seems, though, that the biggest fallout could be Blair and Serena ending up back on the "enemy" side of the frenemy line. Want to see what I'm talking about? To watch a clip from tonight's episode, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 12, "School Lies"

Molly — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:30:33 -0800

While last night's Gossip Girl advertised itself as the first of a two-part episode, there's really only one plot line that remains in limbo: Blair-Chuck-Nate (aka, your favorite love triangle of the year). Well, that and the mystery of whatever happened to little Jenny Humphrey. That said, there are no complaints here about "School Lies" other than I'm not sure I like the characters that I'm supposed to. Check out Fab's fashion quiz and Geek's tech quiz on last night's episode. Now, here are my thoughts:

OK, so Nate's been getting hotter and hotter, right? I like to think that he was filming this episode around the time that Chace Crawford himself started to become a stud in Hollywood (dating Carrie Underwood, etc.) and that confidence is showing up on screen. He looks so much more like a dashing man than a wimpy boy. Not to mention that his character is about a billion times less spineless these days. I'm just wondering what he'll do when he inevitably finds out about Blair and Chuck . . .
I went from not caring at all about the parent drama to almost liking it more than the stuff with the kids. Out of nowhere, the Bart-Lily-Rufus plot is the best thing about the show (don't worry, no spoilers until after the jump).
Want their clothes, and their hair. Anyone else surprised that Serena went with a classic one-piece bathing suit for the illicit pool party?

To read about the rest of the show, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 11, "Roman Holiday"

Molly — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:37:04 -0800

Deep in the heart of a barren wasteland of repeats (mostly), Gossip Girl was new last night and fully ridiculous in the best possible way. Much of the plot was utterly unrealistic, but hey, that's why we love it, right? Here are my thoughts:

Before we get started, check out Fab's fashion quiz, Bella's beauty quiz, and Geek's tech quiz on the episode. Fun, fun.
What's with the episodes with no Chuck at all? I guess his "presence" was there and we got the answer to where he went from the airport: Monaco. But seriously, I want my Chuck Bass! I didn't miss Nate nearly as much.
Thankfully, Jenny wasn't in it much either. She just bugs me.
I know you all are slightly more Team Serena, but the Blair/Dad/Dad's lover plot was sweet last night, right? Plus, since when is Waldorf mom such a sympathetic character? I didn't think I would ever like the parents on this show but, sigh, I guess I do.

To read the rest of my thoughts just

TV Tonight: Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 05:30:00 -0800

As much as I enjoyed last week's episode of Gossip Girl, I had to agree with Molly that the preview for tonight's episode looked even better. Chuck is back (yay!) and so is the Chuck-Blair-Nate love triangle, as Nate vies to be Blair's date to the upcoming debutante ball — despite her secret, not-so-chaste dalliances with Chuck.

Serena, meanwhile, hears some harsh words from her grandmother about her choice of escort to the ball; seems Dan-from-Brooklyn isn't suitable enough for a Van Der Woodsen. Jenny, naturally, sees the event as yet another chance to get a toehold among the upper crust; I'll be curious to see how she talks her way into this one.

To check out the trailer and a preview clip from the episode, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 9, "Blair Waldorf Must Pie"

Molly — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:40:46 -0800

First of all, this week's Gossip Girl should have aired last Wednesday. A super sentimental Thanksgiving episode after the fact loses a lot of its awww factor, if you know what I mean. Also, no Chuck at all? What gives? All that being said, it was cool to get some flashbacks to what the kids were all like one year earlier. Also, next week's episode looks awesome. Here are my thoughts:

Before I get to my two cents, check out Bella's Beauty Quiz, Fab's Fashion Quiz and Geek's Tech Quiz on last night's episode. Fun fun.
I so did not miss the presence of Gossip Girl herself.
The episode jumped straight into the Blair/Serena drama, eh? Blair was pretty snippy towards Serena, but to be fair B did forgive S pretty quick for sleeping with her boyfriend. Serena really doesn't have any place to be so judgey. Maybe it's just because I have a soft spot for Chuck.

To read the rest of my thoughts about Thanksgiving Gossip Girl-style, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 8, "Seventeen Candles"

BuzzSugar — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:32:35 -0800

Hey, it's me, Buzz, pinch-hitting for Molly this week. While this week's episode of Gossip Girl was full of the usual tears, drama, and awkward situations, I have to say that I was surprised by how tame it was. Nobody throws a party quite like Blair Waldorf, but I was expecting a lot more drunken debauchery and a little less Guitar Hero. That said, this episode still brought a healthy dose of Wednesday night guilty pleasure, so let's get down to it. And don't forget to take Fab's fashion quiz and Geek's tech quiz while you're at it!

Vanessa is starting to annoy me to no end. She and Dan are supposed to be BFF but she doesn't tell him that she got a job? Plus, is she going to catch Serena and Dan making out in every episode? Granted, they really need to get a room.
As much as I usually can't stand Chuck, I'm starting to feel for the guy. He didn't pressure Blair into doing anything she didn't want to, so he doesn't deserve all the crap she gave him. Also, the scene with the necklace was almost sweet enough to make me forget that he kinda tried to date rape two of the main characters in the season premiere.
Okay, can someone tell me what happened to Serena's little brother Eric? He and Jenny were totally the cute freshman couple and suddenly he's off the show and nobody talks about him at all?

To read more of my thoughts (warning: spoilers!) just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 7, "Victor, Victrola"

Molly — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:28:57 -0800

Okay, I love this show. It is so much more scandalous than The OC ever was, even during its glorious first season. That being said, this week's Gossip Girl still went for some of the standard teen show cliches. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I love that. This week (since I know you're on the edge of your seat), I'm squarely Team S & B both. In case you want to test your viewing comprehension skills, check out Geek's Tech Quiz, Fab's Fashion Quiz and Bella's Beauty Quiz on the episode. And now, here are my thoughts on our favorite Upper East Siders:

Ah, young love. Nothing says teen like uncomfortable make-out circumstances. Thankfully, when I was in high school, there were no such things as camera phones or gossip blogs.
Chuck wants to invest in a burlesque club. Come on now. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to be interested in something other than partying?" No, I don't know! Since middle school? Talk about high expectations. He's still in high school, not still living at home 10 years post-college.
Serena and Blair are kinda awkward besties talking about sex. I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed Dan's anxiety fantasies — kinda perfectly age appropriate in an odd way. Big "HA" to him watching porn for tips.

To read the rest of my thoughts (especially those about the shocking ending!) just

TV Tonight: Gossip Girl

BuzzSugar — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 13:29:43 -0800

I know saying tonight's episode of Gossip Girl will be full of drama is a lot like saying the sky's blue, but it really looks like the show is trying to put out a blockbuster episode after taking Halloween night off.

"Victor, Victrola" deals in part with the fallout from the masquerade ball — most especially Nate's accidental kiss of Jenny (whom he thought was Serena; masks are tricky, huh?). I guess the love triangle (quadrangle?) is back in full force. Serena, meanwhile, seems ready to commit to Dan, but I wonder how much Vanessa will get in the way.

Meanwhile, Chuck tries to invest in a burlesque club in order to make his father proud. Only on a show like Gossip Girl could a 17-year-old investing in a saucy club please one's parents, but hey, if it leads to the kind of hilarity I'm expecting, I'm sold. To watch a preview for the episode, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 6, "The Handmaiden's Tale"

Molly — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:31:23 -0700

This episode of the ever-complicated and pretty awesome Gossip Girl made me very happy that I don't do a traditional recap. Could things have gotten more convoluted at those parties? I would never be able to explain all that, but gotta love it. I'm back to being team everyone, but perhaps most of all Vanessa, who is fabulous (though, isn't she supposed to have a shaved head?). How well were you paying attention last night? Take Geek's tech quiz and Fab's fashion quiz to find out (I got 3/5 and 4/5 respectively, you?). Here's what went down:

So, which party looked more fun? The "kids" masquerade ball or the parents' hookah-having Moroccan themed event? Both were all sorts of decadent...and full of scandal. Delicious scandal.
Dan is a bad liar. Hopefully he learned his lesson considering he got caught in every fib he told. Maybe he's just naive. Pretty much he and Serena just like to make out, right? No judgment. Heck, they're high school students; it makes sense. Way more than can be said about Blair and Nate.
Speaking of the Archibalds, um, way to step up the substance abuse by bringing in the cocaine! And they weren't even shy about Chuck wanting some, and Serena talking about parents doing it in the roaring '90s. Usually the TV isn't so nonchalant about the more serious drugs. No spoilers yet though...

To read the rest of my thoughts, plus who is probably headed to rehab within a couple of episodes, just

Gossip Girl Rundown: Episode 5, "Dare Devil"

Molly — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:34:02 -0700

Finally, a Gossip Girl that felt more like high school. You know, as long as your high school experience involved nightclubs, dive bars, breaking and entering, and properly made gin martinis. I must have been in a good mood when I watched this last night, because at the end I was solidly liking every single one of the main characters. Yes, even Blair. As usual, the clothes were amazing — check out how well you were paying attention with Fab's fashion quiz. And the kids were on their new-fangled phones — take Geek's tech quiz, too. Here are my thoughts on the episode:

I was impressed/confused at how nonchalant Blair was about Serena missing the big sleep over to-do, but so happy that S and Dan finnnnnaly got that first date over with. Plus, Dan mostly stopped moping, so that's certainly good news.
Little Jenny isn't so innocent anymore. Then again, she never really was. At least she's smart enough to weasel her way out of a sticky situation, even if she's possibly choosing the wrong "it" girl to emulate. I do love her bitchy side — Taylor Momsen plays it well.
Is it just me or did the previews for last night's episode include a shot of Jenny getting into the back of a squad car? Sneaky CW.

To read the rest of my thoughts and who I certainly wasn't missing just

"Gossip Girl" Rundown: Episode 4, "Bad News Blair"

Molly — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:31:16 -0700

It was another week of debauchery for our favorite Upper East Siders on "Gossip Girl" — well, at least for the boys. Serena and Blair's reconciliation appears to still be in working order after a few road bumps and an understandably wary B. It would appear that these kids never have a quiet weekend just hanging out watching movies with their friends. Oh, and before we move on — big yay for "GG" being the first new show picked up for a whole season. Here are my thoughts:

It feels so wrong...but is it just me or was Chuck not completely despicable this episode? I mean, sure he was organizing a "Lost Weekend" for high school boys (must keep reminding myself they're only Juniors in HS) to engage in undetermined amounts of illegal activities. But, he saved Nate from a sticky situation, losing some of his prized possessions without even so much as a second thought.
I feel like I am supposed to be on Team Serena, but I can't help kinda seeing Blair's side of things. Though B is no-doubt bitchy, Serena is pretty seriously selfish. And, as Blair pointed out, she doesn't even realize it. Though for a pretty girl, the show did a hilariously good job making it look like Blair can't model to save her life.
This episode definitely had the best one liners all season. Among the highlights, "Be Britney with the car," and "He looks like Matthew McConaughey between movies." Love it.

To see the rest of my thoughts — and where was Jenny?? — just

"Gossip Girl" Rundown: Episode 3, "Poison Ivy"

Molly — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 12:16:38 -0700

Last night's "Gossip Girl" had a lot less underage drinking, but the kids were still able to get themselves in enough trouble without it. It was "Ivy Week" at school (school? Where did that come from?) which means our favorite Junior class had to preen their feathers and show off for the visiting reps from their potential booze-supplying universities. Ah, to be young again. Here are some thoughts on "Poison Ivy":

Gotta love the a capella version of "Glamorous" to kick off the show, with sassed up Jenny front and center with different socks than everyone else in the group.
As deserves to be called out every single time. I want Serena's hair and I want it now. I'll probably never stop coveting those locks and the person in charge of doing them. Just saying.
For most of the episode I was thinking about how last week I said I was "Team Both" and watching this week's I was soooo "Team Neither" (until the end, but more on that later). They both acted pretty heinous.

To read the rest of my thoughts and why I'm already worried about the series just

"Gossip Girl" Rundown: Episode 2, "The Wild Brunch"

Molly — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:40:24 -0700

Last night was the second episode of (officially) the best guilty pleasure of the season — "Gossip Girl." If loving this show is wrong, I'm not sure I want to be right. It's like The OC on crack — more sex, more booze, more money. Love. It. Here are my thoughts:

I really can't decide between whose side I am on between Serena and Blair. It's like my head is saying Blair while my heart is saying Serena. After last week I was outwardly Team Blair, but, well, she's kind of a bitch and Serena is trying to change? Kind of? Sigh, she's totally selfish. Well, to be fair, I'm kind of team neither. Fine, both.
My Personal Fogey-Meter was off the charts when Chuck woke up next to two members of the hotel staff and casually offered them off to Nate. I know his dad owns the hotel, but come on now. Best parent being blasé about seeing underage child drinking award goes to Chuck's dad, saying to Chuck, "Lay off the scotch, it's barely noon."

To see more, including why I'm coming around to Gossip Girl herself, just

"Gossip Girl" Recap: It's the Pilot, Baby

Molly — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:05:57 -0700

Last night was the triumphant and highly anticipated premiere of "Gossip Girl." Having never read the books, I came into the series with zero knowledge of what to expect — and I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. What can I say, Josh Schwartz just has a way of making me want to watch privileged youth. So salacious! So scandalous! So full of beautiful people! I'm very interested to hear what fans of the books thought about the pilot, but here are a few of my snap judgments:

I think the casting was perfect. I know that the character of Jenny isn't anything like she was described in the books, but how could you not love Taylor Momsen? She was Cindy Lou Who in The Grinch! I feel a little bad for Ed Westwick, who plays Chuck, because as of last night he will never, ever not be sleazy in my mind. No matter what other roles he gets in life.
Absolutely loved the music — especially in the opening scene. It had me smiling and whistling along to Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks" before our Gossip Girl narrator even chimed in.
Um, teen drinking much? Call me a fogey, but I was surprised by how freely the CW showed all the underage boozing. Then again, at the beginning of "The OC" the kids drank a lot, but it was definitely phased out as the show went on. I wonder if these rich Manhattan kids will reform their ways, too.

To hear a few more thoughts, and my biggest gripe just

Meet the Characters of "Gossip Girl"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 05:30:00 -0700

Those of you who are fans of the book series on which this fall's "Gossip Girl" is based already have a good sense of who's who on the show, which premieres Sept. 19. But to help out the rest of us, the CW has put together a series of short videos introducing us to the show's six main Upper East Side teens. Below the jump, check out the introductions for Serena, Blair, Dan and the rest. If you've read the books, I'm curious: How well do these descriptions match what you were expecting? To watch the videos,

Leighton Meester Dishes about "Gossip Girl"

BuzzSugar — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 06:30:06 -0700

The sudsy "Gossip Girl" has been one of the most talked-about shows at the TCA press tour. At a bustling party for The CW's stars the other night, I pulled aside Leighton Meester, who plays Blair, for some scoop on her role in the show. Here are some highlights of our conversation:

On the best part of playing Blair: "She kind of is a quintessential bitch, and I would say that's awesome and I love to play that — believe me, it's really really fun. But it's not just that, and that's the best thing. She has all these issues that she's dealing with that I think a lot of young women are going to be able to relate to and look up to. She's very vulnerable and very insecure, and everybody, obviously, can relate to that. She's dealing with issues of friends and family and, you know, love, boyfriend, school, body image, whatever. And she's dealing with that under a lot of scrutiny. It's so much pressure, and I think she takes a lot of that out on herself."

On reading the Gossip Girl books: "I actually read the script knowing that they were based on books, and I was like, 'I have to get my hands on these books, I have to!'" But now I'm really kind of wary to keep reading. I don't want to start off and be disappointed or spoil it — and also because I don't think [the show]'s going to follow precisely along with the books. Which, you know, it shouldn't. It should have its own life."

On playing a character people already know: "I've met a lot of girls who really love the books, and they really mean something to them, and my character means something to them, which is just really wonderful. It's so wonderful, even though it's kind of scary and weird to play something that somebody might feel really strongly about who they are. I'm kind of fearful someone's going to come up and and be like, 'Blair wouldn't do that!' But I feel like they're going to be really happy. Everybody that I've met that has been really into the books, they are absolutely thrilled."

More great quotes, so